This invention relates to a magnetic tape reproducing apparatus (including a tape reproducing and recording apparatus) and, more particularly, to a searching device for a tape reproducing apparatus capable of detecting a head portion of a selected music piece accurately from a tape recording of the music piece (e.g., INTRO SCAN mode or SEARCH mode).
In conventional analog audio tape decks, searching of a selected music piece is made in the following manner. First, a tape is run in a fast-forward mode and an interval (a silent portion) between music pieces is judged to exist when absence of an audio signal continues over a predetermined period of time. Then, upon finding that an audio signal is continuously present over a predetermined period of time, a head portion of the selected music piece is judged to exist and running of the tape is stopped. The tape is then rewound for a predetermined period of time and then playback of the music piece is started.
The conventional searching method would be quite satisfactory if the tape speed was constant regardless of the state of winding of the tape between a supply reel and a takeup reel. In actuality, however, the tape speed varies greatly depending upon the state of winding of the tape between the two reels, e.g., a large amount of tape being wound on the supply reel and a small amount of tape being wound on the takeup reel or vice versa, or an about equal amount tape being wound on each of the supply and takeup reels. For this reason, the time at which a head portion of a selected music piece or an interval between music pieces is assumed to arrive and the time which is assumed to be necessary for rewinding must be changed each time having regard to the tape speed in each situation. Even if care has been taken for this purpose, irregularity in cueing is inevitable with an undesirable result that a last portion of an unselected preceding music piece is reproduced or a head portion of a selected music piece is omitted.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a searching device for a tape reproducing apparatus capable of accurately performing cueing of a selected music piece.